Lock



C. E. LEIFER.

LOCK

APPLICATION FILED JAN-13,1920.

Patented July 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI l.

way.

C. E. LEIFER.

LOCK

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13. 192o.

Patented July 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EDW'ARD LEIFER, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

LOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed January 13, 1920. Serial No. 351,133.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that T, (HARLES E. Lnirnn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of a simple and inexpensive mechanism by which the unauthorized opening or closing of an electric circuit will be prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide a permutation lock which may be set for two combinations and instantly shifted from one to the other of those combinations.

The invention is intended primarily for use in the ignition circuits of motor vehicles but is, of course, adapted to many other uses.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein corresponding reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings- F igure'l is a plan view of the switch lock withthe casing partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line l l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the rear tumbler.

Figs. 6 and 7 are rear and front elevations, respectively, of the intermediate tum bler.

Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views of the front tumbler.

Fig. 10 is a detail t'ansverse section of the tumbler shaft.

Fig. 11 is a detail longitudinal section through the hub of the master tumbler.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a preferably cylindrical casing 1, having its rear end plate provided with ears or lugs 2, through which screws or other fastenings may be inserted. to secure the casing to the dash or instrument board of a motor vehicle, or to some other fixed support.

0n the inner side of the front end plate, I secure a facing 3, of insulating material and this facing carries the members i and 5 of the switch or circuit-closer. The stationary member at, consists of a slightly arcuate bar or plate secured in place by screws 6 and 7, inserted through its ends into the facing and is provided at its outer edge with a somewhat resilient overhanging lip 8, under which the free end of the member 5 is engaged and held to close the circuit. The screw 7 also serves as a binding post to secure the end of a conductor 9 which passes from the casing through an opening provided for the purpose in the cirizumferential wall of the casing. The movable member 5 of the circuit closer is also an arcuate bar or plate but is pivotally held by a screw or bolt 11, and is constructed at one end with a tail 12, extending longitudinally of the casing to ride upon the tumblers of the lock, the opposite end of the member being are ranged to engage under the lip 8, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The pivot 11 also serves as a binding post to secure the end of a conductor 13 which passes out through the opening 10. A spring 14, secured to the switch member 5 and to the socket member 15, on the front end plate of the casing, tends constantly to hold the members 4 and 5 together, so that the circuit will be closed as will be readily understood on reference to Fig. 3.

The tumbler shaft or spindle 16 is rotatably and slidably mounted in the socket 15 and an opening provided at the center of the rear end plate of the casing and is provided at its rear end with an operating knob or handle 17. The spindle or shaft is held against accidental withdrawal by a set screw 18 mounted in a flange or rib 19 on the rear end plate and engaging one of the annular grooves 20, 21, in the spindle. The rib or wall 22 left by cutting the grooves is interrupted by a notch 23 to permit the longitudinal movement of the shaft, which will shift the set screw 18 from the groove 20 to the groove 21, and vice versa. The hub of the master tumbler is provided with a notch or longitudinal groove 24 in its bore to receive a lug 25 on the forward reduced portion of the shaft, the function of said lug being to insure the proper assembling of the shaft and the master tumbler. Carried by the shaft or spindle are tumblers 26, 27 and 28, the rear tumbler 26, being the master tumbler and being fixed on the shaft by a set screw 29, mounted in the hub 80 of the tumbler and bearing upon the shaft. The engagement of the groove 24 in the hub 30 by the lug 25 on the shaft causes the shaft to present a socket form-ed therein to the end of the screw 29, to insure the proper fastening of the tumbler upon the shaft without mutilation of the latter. Upon its front face the tumbler 26 is brovided with an annular rib or flange 32, to fit around a central boss or hub 33, on the rear face of the tumbler 27 and engage a: annular groove 34 concentric with said boss. A set screw 35 is mounted in the rib or flange 32 and engages a circumferential groove 36 in boss 33, so that while the two tumblers may have independent rotation about the shaft they will lllOVG'lJOfl'tifllGl' in following the sliding movement of the shaft. 011 its front face, the tumbler 27 is provided with a split sleeve 37, which frictionally engages the shaft so as to check excessive movement of the tumbler about the shaft and aid in arresting the movement at the proper point. The sleeve 37 extends through the bore of the tumbler 28 which is provided on its front face with a split sleeve 38, having a circumferential groove 39, said groove being engaged by a set screw 40, mounted in the socket 15, whereby 1o tation of the tumbler is permitted but shifting of the same longitudinally of the casing is prevented. It will be readily noted that the sleeves 37 and 38 fill the space between the shaft and the inner wall of'the socket 153 and the sleeve 37 forms a support for the sleeve 38. Each tumbler is provided in its front edge with a notch or recess 4-1, the walls of the notch in the tumblers 27 and 28 being parallel with the raoius of the tumbler bisecting the notch while one wall of the notch in the tumbler 26 diverges outwardly from such radius. When the switch is closed, the tail 12 rests in the alined notches and if the shaft be then rotated to the right, the divergent wall of the notch in the tumbler 26 will ride under the tail 12 and lift the same, thereby swinging the movable member 5 out of engagement with the member a and breaking the circuit.

Each tumbler is provided with stops e2 which may conveniently be headed screws or studs secured in openings 43 in the respective tumblers, and it will be readily understood'that the lock may be set for any desired combination bylitting the several studs or stops to the proper openings. The

tumbler 26 has two stops on its front face and none on its rear face, while the tumbler 28 has two stops On its rear face and none on its front face and the intermediate tumbler 27 has one stop on each face. The tumblers 27 and 28 are further provided on each face with a pin 44 projecting radially from its periphery and. adapted to impinge against an abutment 45 on the inner circumferential surface of the casing, whereby to limit the circuit-breaking movement of the tumblers. The abutment may be of any convenient form and is shown as a rib disposed longitudinally of the casing and brazed to the wall thereof. At the opposite side of the casing is a box do in which are mounted the spring presser plungers 47, which frictionally engage the peripheries of the tumblers 27 and 28, as shown in Fig. l, and thereby serve as brakes to prevent jumping or over movement of the tumblers in the manipulation of the lock. It is advantageous to reinforce the casing at the base of the box 46 and I, therefore, secure a block e8 thereto as shown.

On the front face of the tumbler 26 is an annular flange or rim 49 having an opening 50 through which a screw driver may be inserted to engage the screw 29. This rim is further provided around its-external circumference with equidistant rec sses or seats 51 to be successively engaged by a springpressed dog 52, mounted a housing or box 53, secured in the casing at the bottom thereof, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and It is to be noted that the head of the dog is crowned or convex while the seats or recesses are concave, so that the dog will. yield readily to a turning force applied to the tumbler but will hold it firmly against accidental movement and it is also to be noted that the spring which actuates the dog will urge it promptly into engagement with the successive seats as the tumbler turns so that the movement will be momentarily arrested and will proceed in impulses marked by the sound of the dog impinging against the bases of the several recesses.

Upon reference to Fig. el, it will be noted that when the circuit is'closed the tail l2 rests in the notches ll of the tumblers which are in alinement. T o break the cir cuit the tumbler shaft is rotated to the right and the obliquely disposed wall of the notch in the tumbler 26, is thereby caused to ride und r the tail 12 and lift the same so thatthe tumblers 27 and may be retated and carry their respective notches be yond the tail and bring the uninterrupted portions of their peripheries thereunder,

whereby the tail will be held raised. The

rotation of the tumbler shaft to the right is continued until it is arrested by the pin 44 of the tumbler 27 impinging against the abutment 45 at which time the lock will be open or'in zero position. The circuit will then be held broken for the reason that when the tail 12 was raised, the switch membeer 5 was swung out of its engagement with the member l and such engagement can not be reestablished until the notches 41 are again brought into alinement. The master tumbler 26 will obviously rotate with the tumbler shaft and the rotation of the same to the right will bring the rear stop 4-2 thereon (considered in thedirection of rotation) against the stop on the rear face of the tumbler 27 so that said tumbler will then rotate to the right. The stop on the front face of the tumbler 27 will. be thereby brought against the forward stop on the rear face of the tumbler 28 so that said step will be rotated to the right.

To close the circuit, the notches il of the tumblers must again be brought into alinement, so that the spring 14 can pull the tail 12 into the same, but to accomplish this result the tumblers must be operated accord ing to the combination for which the lock has been set. The tumbler shaft is first rotated to the left through a predetermined number of impulses of the dog 52, this manipi'llation effecting engagement between the stops on the several tumblers and setting the tumbler 28 with its notch under the tail 12. The shaft is then rotated a predetermined number of impulses to the right to set the tumbler 27, and then again rotated to the left through the proper number of impulses to set the tumbler 26. The described operation is that necessary to operate a threenumber combination, or a combination using all the tumblers. If it be desired to set the lock against a person knowing the threenumber combination, the tumbler shaft is pulled rearwardly so that the screw or pin .18 will pass from the groove 20 to the groove 21, and it must be observed that this can be done only when the circuit is closed as at all other times the notch 23 is out of alinement with the said screw or pin. When the shaft 16 is pulled rearwardly the tum bler 26 moves with it and through the engagement of the screw or pin 35 with the groove 36 draws the tumbler 27 away from the tumbler 28 so that the stops on said tumblers may clear each other, the tumbler 28 becoming a dead element and the lock then working on a two-number combination. When it is desired to return to the threenumber combination, the tumbler shaft is pushed forward while the circuit is closed, and as in the previous instance, when the tail 12 is in the alined slots.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination of a casing, a tumbler shaft rotatably and slidably mounted in the easing and provided with spaced annular grooves and a notch establishing communication between the grooves, a stop mounted on the casing and selectively engaging said grooves to hold the shaft in either its forward or rear position, and permit its rotation, a plurality of tumblers mounted concentric with the shaft, means whereby rotation of the shaft will set the tumblers, means whereby some of the tumblers will follow the sliding movement of the shaft, the remaining tumblers becoming inactive, and a movable member controlled by the tumblers.

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination of a casing, a tumbler shaft rotatably and slidably mounted in the casing, means for limiting the sliding movement of the shaft and permitting free rotation thereof, a master tumbler secured on the shaft, a tumbler mounted loosely on the shaft, means connecting the last mentioned tumbler with the master tumbler whereby the tumblers may rotate independently but are constrained to move together longitudinally of their axes, a tumbler mounted on the casing concentric with the shaft and free to rotate but restrained from sliding axial movement, and means for transmitting the rotation of the shaft from the master tumbler to the other tumblers.

3. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination of a plurality of tumblers,

a tumbler shaft mounted for rotary and sliding movement and extending centrally through all the tumblers, means whereby rotation of the shaft will set the tiiunblers, means whereby some of the tumblers will be connected with the shaft to follow the sliding movement thereof, and means for limiting the sliding movement of the shaft while permitting its free rotation.

CHARLES EDWVARD LEIFER. 

